Strategic dimensions of Gulf-Japan relations: Towards an effective relationship between Baghdad and Tokyo

Dr. Hadi mashaan Rabie- college of law and political science – Anbar University

The first axis: the motives of the strategic partnership between the Gulf countries and Japan
Since its inception at the beginning of the twentieth century, Gulf-Japanese relations have been characterized by a purely commercial character, without attention to other areas that could be established to strengthen the partnership and vital interests between the two sides, however, since the early nineties following the changes witnessed in the region, especially the circumstances of Iraq’s occupation of Kuwait and the war against Iraq in 1991, which resulted in the collapse of the strategic balance that prevailed in the gulf in the seventies and eighties. These relations have begun to take an important place in the political and strategic debate in Japan and the region, both, and these relations have become the subject of interest of many experts and researchers, and behind all this, there are many motives and justifications, which can be addressed with some brevity, as follows:
First: the motives and justifications of the Gulf states
The Arabian Gulf region has been the focus of attention of the colonial powers since ancient times, as it was colonized by Britain for more than 150 years, and after its withdrawal from it gave way to the ambitions of another world power that replaced it, which was keen to manage the affairs of the Gulf regional system for many decades, by which we mean the United States of America, through a number of economic and security agreements with the countries of the region. However, the American occupation of Iraq in 2003, and the ensuing repercussions, the most important of which was the failure of the United States of America to achieve its goals and its comprehensive project, according to which the invasion of Iraq, has created doubts among the Gulf states in the ability of the United States to remain as the only force with the ability to protect the security of the Gulf, and therefore it was necessary to look for New Forces, contributing to the creation of a regional security structure for the region.
On the other hand, the developments in the situation in the region, especially after the end of the Iran-Iraq War at the end of the Eighties, brought many new developments and challenges to the Gulf states in order to maintain their security and stability, prompted them to search for new security formulas and balances, such as the circumstances of Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in August 1990, and the subsequent developments that increased tension in the region on the one hand, and the growing Western intervention in it on the other, especially after the events of the eleventh of September 2001, the war on terrorism, the American occupation of Iraq in 2003, and the Iranian nuclear program and its repercussions on the security balance in the region, as well as the developments of the internal situation in many countries Since the end of 2010, and its continuation until now, especially in Tunisia, Libya, Syria, and Yemen, and the security challenges it has presented to the Gulf Arab states.
The current and growing presence of China, Japan, Russia, India and other countries, and the competition among them for the region to obtain raw materials, especially oil, and commercial markets has given the Gulf countries more scope to expand their options in shaping their security and political relations, rather than relying on the West alone. From here, the Gulf countries realized the importance of building strong and solid relations with these Asian countries, especially with Japan and China, because this would open up wider horizons for investment, break the unipolar system with the United States of America in particular and the West in general, and push towards new areas to diversify Gulf relations, especially with the countries of the world.